The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-09-06

they hal left me. Father agreed with
me that it was best TO be cautious. and
next day the old gun was discharged
and loaded anew. | was followed on
tic third. fourth and fifth nights, and it
was on this latter night that the climax
came. AS left the restaurant | was
Joined by one of the men, who claimed
to be vessel owneS, and who asked
me how / would like To go to sea. He
gave me lot of taffy about my being
the smartest boy he ever saw, and
wishing to do something for me. and as
arrived at the door he halted with me
and said he would step in and see
father. At the same time | saw the
policeman smoking his pipe in the next
door.
Nov, sir. l hope you won't lay it up
against me for saying that | tumbled To
the racket at once. for that is the truth.
While | swallowed none of the taffy
given me. no sooner saw the police
| man at that point with his pipe alight
than / twigged him for a pal in dis
i
for two years. mind you. and such an
| innovation was not 10 he passed over.
| explained TO the man that il would be
against the rules To admit him, and that
he must see father next day, and after
discussing the matter for awhile he
walked of. Then gave four knocks on
the door, and father opened it. He was
inclined to ridicule my excitement. but
finally came round TO praise my caution.
left at about the usual time. and was
! glad To find the street deserted. re-
| turned to the restaurant at a fast walk,
| but no sooner had | reached it than L
wheeled about for the bank. 1t struck
me all az once that the policeman had
caught onto my four knocks, and that
after had gone the pair might seek to
get father to the door by giving them.
[ dropped the dishes and started off on
a run, and in three or four minutes was
at the bank The door was slightly
open. and l jumped right against it
and flung it back. A light was always
left burning. and at glance l saw
that father was down and both men on
top of him. They had his head covered
with cloth. and, though he Was call
| ing out, his cries could not be heard
| ten feet.
THE cot was at the left a YOU en-
tered the bank, and thAgun stood at the
foot of il. Just the minute | was in
side realized what was going on. and
the first move ] made was for the gun.
As | seized il and whirlcd about one of
the villains. who had been sitting on
fathers legs. reached out foot and
kicked the door shut. and the other
gave father two blows with a short IRON
bar, and then sprung up and faced me.
Father Strengthened ont, seeming To
have been killed by the blows. and the
sight gave me courage and determine
ton. When both of the men were on
their feet the one in uniform COM
manded me to give up the gun. | held
it in a way 10 cover both. hammer up
and finger on the trigger, and did not
mean to give it up. For half a minute
after the man spoke there was dead
silence. The light hung from the
ceiling between me and them, and, al
though it was turned down, could see
the slightest move made by either. The
false policeman picked up stool.
raised it above his head in a deliberate
way. and said:
boy, put down that gun or I'll
brain your
Hold on, Dick, let me shoot him.
whispered the other, and he drew from
his pocket one of the first revOlvers
had ever seen.
.'He had it pointed at me, when Dick
stopped him by saying the report would
arouse some one. Coward that he was
he dared not advance upon me, but
suddenly flung the stool ut my head.
struck the lamp with a great crash,
and i'm second We were in darkness.
The glass had not ceased rafting when
I blaZed away with the gun. 1t was
loaded with swan shot. and L had phi
in whole handful. There were three
or four screams of rage and pain, anC
one went To the floor with heavy
crash, while the other staggered To the
door, opened it and staggered on.
was after him in jiffy. 1t was moon
light outdoor. and L saw him in th'
middle of the street. / ran right fo
him. shouting for the police, and as In
turned and saw me called to him Il
halt or would give him the other bar
I rel. Well. sir, held him right Their
o until an officer came TO take him away
but must tell you that he had thre
: or four of the shot i'm his face and wa
: badly daZed. When we entered TIN
bank We found father sitting up an
: rubbing his head. and across his fee
was the dead body of the other crook
L Nearly the whole charge of shot ha